If the reported strain on the game's servers is any indication, ARC Raiders is destined to be one of the biggest shooters of the year, aided by the continued popularity of the extraction shooter subgenre. ARC Raiders is one of the better ramps into the world of extraction shooters, thanks to a more level playing field and willingness to embrace a more casual audience, but that doesn't mean the game doesn't present a fair challenge. Quite the opposite, as my time with the game so far has humbled me in ways not uncommon in the extraction shooter subgenre, emphasizing survival far more than its competitors.
As a PvPvE shooter, players must commit to assessing threats from multiple angles, constantly on the alert and trying to guess whether any raiders they encounter are friend or foe. As fun as it is to shoot guns and wipe out other players and the titular robotic ARC, personal experience has shown that a stealthy, stealthy approach where you aim for the surface, scavenge gear, and avoid conflict leads to the most success, at least in the early hours. ARC RaidersThe harsh and unforgiving world demands that its inhabitants be just as tough, and it does a great job of making every encounter and conflict feel like a fight for my life.
ARC Raiders players really can't afford to gloss the 'Free Loadout' option
When you first start ARC Raidersyou will feel like a very small fish in a very large, inhospitable pond. However, you will gradually begin to accumulate a collection of equipment, weapons and components that cumulatively contribute to a better chance of survival each time you go up into the “rust belt”. But every time you take a step into the great unknown, you're gambling with those hard-earned profits; you roll the dice to see if you come back alive or come out on the losing side in a fight with ARC or Raiders for one load of hard-earned gear. Fortunately, Embark's decision to include a “Free Loadout” option mitigates most of this risk.
Especially in the early hours of the game, when runs into the Rust Belt are typically short and not much more than expeditions to get resources and escape intact, the use of free loadouts is huge. The content itself is random, which might seem like a criticism at first, but it's actually a huge blessing. Random loadout gives you the chance to experiment with the many weapons of ARC Raiders without having to worry about losing any gear you previously acquired. You'll eventually accumulate enough gear to get beyond needing Free Loadout, but at least initially it's an invaluable survival bond.
Slow and Steady Wins a race in ARC Raiders
But even if you collect a bunch of brand new gear and want to try it out on computer-controlled ARCs or player-controlled Raiders, ARC Raiders it's still important to emphasize how observation, not aggression, rules the day. I was routinely amazed at how effectively ARC Raiders uses audio and visual cues to alert the presence of rival raiders or massive hulks. And as much as I'd like to try out that new shotgun I just looted, it's likely I'll never get around to firing it before I lay down and see what threats are brewing around. In truth, this cautious approach to encounters has resulted in one of the most tense and enjoyable extraction shooters this side. Hunt: Showdown 1896.
Even while playing ARC Raiders with a team, it's still important to know when it's best to avoid conflict altogether. This may seem counterintuitive to a shooter, but it makes any shootouts that do break out much more action-packed. I am sure after some long time with ARC Raidersthe fates will shift and allow me to be a little more brash with my approach to dealing with fighters, but for now it's a reminder that sometimes you just have to simply survive.
- Released
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October 30, 2025
- ESRB
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Teen / Violence, Blood
